


Alone

by occultbat



Series: Introduction to Collective Collections [2]
Category: Community (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:47:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26709250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/occultbat/pseuds/occultbat
Summary: Jeff manages to get Annie to come over so he can finally tell her everything from his heart... and then Annie does something spontaneous. One-Shot fluff with some Dean thrown in for fun.
Relationships: Annie Edison/Jeff Winger
Series: Introduction to Collective Collections [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1943707
Comments: 10
Kudos: 45





	Alone

**Author's Note:**

> this is dedicated to Trish. thank you for this prompt, I’m not crying, you’re crying. Jeff Winger and Annie Edison from ‘Community’. Song paired with them is ‘Alone’ by Heart. I obviously don’t own any of these, sadly. This is set season six, episode thirteen – before Annie left.

“Come on…” Jeff groaned as he gripped his phone tightly in his hand staring at the blank screen and willing the text he so desperately wanted to light up. When it finally did, he let out a relieved sigh as he brought up his free hand to run down his face.

_‘Ok’ – Abed._

“Alright, awesome. Thank you, Abed – I owe you a million and one things, but this one the most.” Jeff muttered as he responded with a thumbs up emoji and waited for the next important text to come through.

_‘You want me to come over?’ – Annie._

Jeff fidgeted on the couch of his apartment – still decorated with leftover decorations from Annie when they went to his place for the holidays. She’d taken some things back with her, but others – like some of the pillows and the curtains, Jeff asked her to leave. At the time he’d told himself it was because he really did need to add some personality to his apartment, but in truth he really just wanted things that were so very Annie around. It, and she, comforted him.

_‘If you have time to spare.’ – Jeff._

_‘For you? Of course. Be there in five.’ – Annie._

He smiled at the screen in his hand before pocketing the device and standing from his stagnant state on the couch. God, he was getting old – the thought made him flinch as he stretched out the muscles that had begun to get sore. He’d already did the hard part; he confessed his feelings for her – kissed her goodbye – but it wasn’t enough, and he knew he needed to do more. Because Annie Edison deserved more. And God was he so damn proud of her, but it didn’t mean his heart didn’t ache at the fact that she would be so far away.

Why had he been so stupid to stifle, kick, punch, drown with alcohol, _everything_ his feelings for her? It had taken six long years for him to come to terms with it, to accept that he’d fallen head-over-heels in love with her, that he wanted to marry her, spend his days with her – that it took her leaving for him to spring into action. Classic Winger, his brain reminded him. A groan escaped him as he turned to focus on something less discouraging and began to spot clean around his place.

Prompt as always, Jeff’s door received a knock from who he assumed was Annie, and soon he found himself rushing to open it. Nerves bundled themselves up within his stomach, causing him to seriously second guess all the drinks he had at Britta’s bar earlier. Sighing at himself, Jeff opened the door, a smile on his face that quickly dropped into something of confusion and annoyance.

“Craig? What… Why do you have Annie’s things?” Jeff asked, stepping aside as the Dean forced himself into the apartment, seemingly struggling with Annie’s luggage. He could have helped, sort of wished he did – but it was just admittedly a little too amusing for him to watch his boss struggle with the belongings of the woman he was in love with.

“Well, Jeffrey – I was about to head up to my own apartment when I saw Annie getting out of a cab – she looked like she needed help and me, being the generous dean that I am, I offered my help.” Craig responded, finally setting everything down and turning to face the other, his hand over his heart as he smiled innocently.

“Right… and it’s not at all because Annie probably mentioned she was coming to see me and well, you couldn’t let an opportunity to get into my home and see me go to waste.” Jeff retorted dryly, as he still held the door and gave the Dean a long look before the other sighed dramatically and splayed his hands out.

“Sue me for wanting to see the best professor at Greendale.” Craig responded with an airy huff though not before they exchanged good-natured but fleeting smiles at each other.

“Calling me the best is simultaneously flattering and insulting,” Jeff began but stopped the moment he caught movement in his side vision. His heart began to pound and fill his ears with the sound of its thumping. Slowly, he turned to see her – Annie had just gotten out of the elevator and was pulling one last bag with her, seemingly occupied with it as she walked towards Jeff’s door.

It was not until she was just about near the entrance that she looked up, tucked her loose hair behind her ear, and smiled warmly at Jeff. “Hi,” she breathed – just above a whisper and stepping closer to him. Instinctively, Jeff reached over with his free hand and pulled her into a hug, burying his face into the top of her head and inhaling the scent of her shampoo.

“Hi,” he whispered back, smiling into her hair before giving a soft kiss to her forehead and stepping back to look at her. She was blushing but keeping her own gaze steady with his, and Jeff could have sworn they’d stayed like that for a long time and would have continued to do so if it wasn’t for Craig clearing his throat awkwardly.

“I would _love_ to stand and watch you two stare at each other all night, which by the way is very lovingly I might add, but a new season of the bachelorette is on and I think I should catch that.” The Dean stated slowly his eyes darting between Annie and Jeff as the two seemed to jump back to old times and pulled apart, “Okay! Dean you later!” He called out, _‘some of us are going to just have to accept they’ll be alone forever’_ he muttered to himself with a slightly pathetic laugh and sigh as he passed them, forcing a cheery smile as he escaped the room – turning to close Jeff’s door for him – only to struggle with it.

“You gotta, Craig – I’m still hanging onto the door, it’s okay just… Jesus, just go watch your show!” Jeff and the Dean struggled a bit over the door before the latter gave up with his hands in the air as he backed away and retreated into the safety of his own apartment. After the commotion and Jeff was able to close (and lock) the door properly, he sighed and turned to look at Annie with an apologetic smile on his lips.

“So, Jeff…” Annie started after a beat, smiling back at him, and willing herself to fill the silence between them that was verging on the awkward side.

“Yeah, so…” Jeff started, before letting out an annoyed sigh when the phone in his pocket started to ping and vibrate. “Sorry, hang on – let me just,” he pulled his phone out and frowned at the message he’d received from Britta asking if Annie was there and if she can talk to her for a moment. “Check your phone, I guess Britta is trying to reach you.” Jeff stated in a flat tone as he made a quick response to their friend before shutting his phone off. No more interruptions, he hoped.

He waited for Annie to finish her texting with Britta, watching her as she remained focused away from him. It was in these quiet moments that he took to show his fondness, his love, everything that he could offer her. And when she looked up while putting her phone away, she smiled at him and he returned it trifold.

“I asked Abed to ask you to come over… and to keep everyone busy because…” Jeff was really struggling here, his words were caught horribly in his throat in a shitty mangled mess that somehow had him standing there like a wreck looking and feeling as bad as his words were coming. That was when Annie took her wordless cue and stepped closer, her features softening as she reached up to place a warm hand to his cheek.

“It’s okay Jeff, you have me as long as you need me,” she whispered, though both she and Jeff knew that ‘until you need me’ means ‘until tomorrow morning when I have to leave for the airport’. But neither of them broached that topic. Not now, not yet. He took a deep, shaky intake of breath as he searched her gaze for answers. Only deciding in that moment to reach up and take her hand that was on his cheek into his, caressing the soft skin before turning his head to place a kiss to the inside of her palm.

She smiled at him again, this time the smile said hope and promise but most of all love. Jeff really loved that smile of hers.

“Annie, I just – I needed you to come over because I still felt like I had things that I didn’t get to say, and I know I kissed you goodbye and we had our talk but the thing is, I…” he inhaled sharply, nerves prickly and pinching as his stomach began to feel that same nauseating feeling it did early. But the look on her face, the patience and pure fucking will she was giving him to go on only made him dig his heels in further and to continue one. “I love you.”

There. He said it. Of course, he’d said it to her before, but this time was different. The gravity of the situation was far heavier and both he and Annie knew that those three words meant something far more permanent. “I’m in love with you. I want you to go to D.C., kick that internships ass, become the best in your field and beyond – and I want to be the guy you come home to in the evening.” He continued, still holding her hand to his cheek, and squeezing it when he noticed her eyes glass up.

“So basically, Annie, I won’t stop being here for you when you’re ready. I’m yours and I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that I have been for many years and I will continue to be.”

“Jeff…”

“But I also understand that if you want to go off and explore and be yourself, please do. I won’t stop you, hell, I’m encouraging you. Just… please maybe not give me details about that part of your life.” He chuckled nervously, finally letting her hand go and stepping closer to her, “do what you want to do, I’ll support you.”

“Jeff.”

“Yeah?”

“Come with me.”

There was silence as Jeff tried to process what he just heard, and then he finally spoke. 

“What?”

There was a brief tense moment between them as Jeff’s brows furrowed and he tried to search her face for an explanation or any amount of being unsure. Instead, he only saw determination and definiteness in her eyes. She opened her mouth, likely to repeat the same statement but was cut short when his lips crashed against hers causing her to let out a surprised squeak, pulling her tightly to him. It didn’t take Annie long to react naturally to him and soon they were like two teenagers exploring their objects of lust for the first time. Finally, after enough time, Annie pushed against his chest and pulled back, her lips slightly swollen and pink.

“Jeff, you never answered me.” She was breathing heavily, a small smile on her lips as she began to laugh. Jeff stood there stupidly for a moment, his brain taking the leisure drive back to comprehension before he eased into his own smile.

“I have to break some heavy news to Craig… and buy a plane ticket.” He laughed, pulling her in and kissing her once more, this time softer and sweeter. “I can’t wait to be alone with you.”

“You already are, dummy.”


End file.
